Monogram ring and the like



()ct. 1, 1940. E. WEED MONOGRAM RING AND THE LIKE Filed April 25, 1940 .JL'; II

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY Patented Oct. 1, 1940 UNITED STATES MONOGRAM RING AND THE LIKE Edward L. Weed, Providence, R. 1., assignor to J. J. White Manufacturing Company, Providence, R. 1., a corporation of Rhode Island Application April 23, 1940, Serial No. 331,244

5 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in means for assembling mono-grams from stock letters, to produce any desired monogram in a unitary' form suitable for use upon rings, other 5 jewelry, and elsewhere, to the end that a very compact monogram may be formed suitable for such uses, with a minimumnumber of parts and with all necessary security in the emplacement of the members, regardless of the letter combina- 10 tion involved, so that an attractive monogram ring or other article may be produced with great ease, rapidity and economy, both in materials and in the time for labor, in addition to avoiding the production of a bulky article, which would be ob- 15 jectionable in many of the uses contemplated.

It is also an important aim to present a construction of article in which the faces of two letters, regardless of the particular letters of the alphabet involved, may be securely placed in proper position without liability of derangement of position, and also so that the face surfaces of two or more letters combined may all be flush with each other to present a unitary appearance, without excessive bulk, and adapted to lie closely against the face of a conventional support, such as is used in rings, ordinarily consisting of onyx, or other suitable stone or imitation thereof.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement 3 and combination of parts and manner of their coaction, involved in the embodiment of the invention, as hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing.

Among additional objects, it is an important aim of the invention to enable retail jewelers to make up monograms to order of customers at the counter, on demand, without requiring the carrying of a large stock of materials, and without requiring special tool equipment other than a screw driver.

It is often the case that a jeweler exhibits to a customer a particular design of ring which ap peals to the customer but which does not have the desired initials, and with prior styles of con- 45 struction inmany instances the manner in which the initials are formed and attached precludes the application of other initials. It is therefore an important aim of my invention to also enable the assemblage of a monogram of any desired 50 combination on any ring constructed to receive ordinary single letter monograms, while requiring the use of only a single form of fastening which does not require to be varied either in location or in number of parts. 55 Referring more particularly to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a top face View of a monogram ring embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the setting from the right hand side of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom edge view of the setting of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top view of the base letter only, of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a bottom view thereof;

FigureG is a vertical section on the line 6--6 of Figure 4;

Figure '7 is a cross section on the line of Figure 4;

Figures 8 and 9 are top views of other base letters of thealphabet in the same form of invention as above;

Figure 10 is a top view of a three-letter monogram embodying the invention;

Figure 11 is a vertical section of the last mentioned;

Figure 12 is a section on the line l2-|2 of Figure 1.

There is illustrated a finger ring body In, conforming to conventional manufacture, including the usual frame or bezel II in which a setting base or plate l2 of onyx or other material is set, this being a common kind of support for monograms in such rings. This is of the usual form and in the present instance is formed with a top planiform face I3, although other styles of surface may be used, as discretion and demands of the trade may dictate, and the plate is centrally bored to form an aperture l4 extending entirely therethrough, from which short radial slots 15 are extended in the top face only of the plate, these slots being formed in the same manner, as heretofore practiced in onyx settings upon which initials are to be secured. In the present instance the onyx is oblong, and the slots extend longitudinally thereof, although other forms of the plate may be employed, and it may vary in proportions according to the nature of the monogram or design of the letters employed. Commonly, the letters are of a height greater than their width, and the major axis of the plate usually extends transversely of the major plane of the ring body.

Two sets of letters or alphabets of each alphabet design are employed in the present embodiment of the invention, a top letter alphabet, and a bottom letter alphabet. The top letters are smaller than the bottom letters in the present instance, in order that the latter may be clearly seen and distinguished from the top letter super posed thereon. The bottom letters may be without additions such as framing, chasing, or ornamental extensions, or may include such if desired. In this instance, however, the base letters [6 are represented as plain block letters, although other designs, such as Gothic, Old English, script, and other styles may be embodied if desired. While the base letters may be tooled, cast, or molded, as solid letters, in the present instance they are shown as being formed of pressed sheet metal, die-cut and pressed to form the bars I? of the letters as channel elements, all the principal flange edges of which stop at a common base plane to form the base of the letter. In addition to the bars of the letters, a central integral bottom plate portion I 8 is formed, centrally apertured as at [9, so that this aperture may aline with, and register with, the aperture M; the adjacent plate portion l8 being formed with lugs or nibs 20, arranged radially with respect to the aperture I9, so as to engage in the slots of the onyx. The base letters are also recessed or relieved at a higher level than the plate l8, as at 2|, in their body portions, conforming generally to the contour of a shield in this instance, but it will be understood that the contour lines may be varied in design as discretion may dictate. The shield-like contour followed in the present instance includes upper and lower edges 22 and 23, convexly curved, while side edges 2d are formed, which are recessed or concave in the present instance, although they may be otherwise formed. The essential in the formation of the recess contours is that they shall at least vary from a circle suiliciently to hold a correspondingly formed member against rotation. In some letters, the upper edge portion of the recess may be clearly defined, as in the case of the letters M and W, but in the case of the letters P, B, and others, central portions of these edges 2324 will not be apparent on the base letter, but the lateral edges of the recess will appear in the vertical bars of the base letters. Also, in the case of the letter P, for instance, the lower portion of the right-hand side edge 26 will not show, but its upper portion will. The recessed contour is formed of such size that it will extend into the side-bars and loops of letters such as P, B, H, and others, and the height of the shield contour is preferably such as to stop short of the upper horizontal bars of the letters a suitable distance to readily enable the character of the base letters to be read when. an initial is superposed thereon. The recessed parts 2| in the base letters, as shown at 25, at the extreme sides are comparatively shallow, in the present instance, for a reason which will appear, but the plate portion !8 is recessed still further, in order to lie against the face of the onyx base.

The recessed or relieved parts 2| are completely defined as a platen portion 25, which is continuous throughout the contour boundary of the recessed part, this platen being at a comparatively high level in the base letter, while the plate 68 is still further pressed therebelow, to lie on the plane of the onyx.

In case a solid letter is employed, the parts corresponding to the recessed portion 2| is formed of a single depth throughout the contours 22, 23 and 26, while the lower face of the letter may be a continuous surface in the plane at which it rests upon the onyx l2. Where the contour 22, E3, 24; of the recess 2| departs from the bars of the letters, or lies in a location where no portions of the bars are included thereon, the letters are each formed with complemental wall portions 26, forming continuations of the outer flange or side wall portion 21 of the bar portions H which intersect the recessed contours. In letters such as M and W, the recessed contour 2| will be apparent almost complete, with few interruptions, and where these occur between closely spaced bar portions or within openings of the base letter, as at 28, Fig. 5, it is not necessary to form any wall portion from the edges of the recessed portion downwardly, corresponding to the wall portion 26, for reasons which will appear.

The top letters in the present instance, are all formed on shield bodies 30, conforming to the recessed contour 2!, before referred to, but in each instance, being complete, and having continuous symmetrical edges defining the contour of the shield, as referred to in connection with the recess contour 2!. The shield comprises an extremely thin plate which may be set in the recessed portion of the base letters, snugly fitting the recess contour 2|, and on its upper surface may have an enamelled or other ground 3|, within which a letter 32 may be defined in a suitable pattern to harmonize with the base letter upon which it is to be mounted, and separately spaced slightly from the boundaries of the enamel ground so that the letter 32 will be clearly defined and separated from the bars of the base letter when the two are mounted.

In practice, the letters 32 have also been chased or otherwise ornamented so that while smaller than the base letters, they will be salient in appearance. Also, if desired, the shield body may have an edging beyond the enamel ground of fitting nature to define a border thereon, especially where the shield bridges a gap in a letter, it being considered desirable to have such edging especially at the top and bottom of the shield, although it may be omitted at the sides or included, as preferred. This is shown at 33, and may be chased or ornamented to reflect light better in all conditions, as in the case of the letters 32.

The shield body 38 is provided with a tubular stem portion 34, interiorly threaded and of a size to be readily inserted through the apertures i 9 and M, but stopping short of the inner or back face of the onyx l2.

The base letter being in place upon the onyx, the selected top letter 32, with its shield is then set in the recessed part of the base letter, and a screw 35 engaged through the aperture of the onyx from the rear or under side and in the stem 34%, the screw being provided with a proper head to engage against the back face of the onyx, so that when screwed home it will hold the complete assemblage in place by binding the top letter against the lower or base letter, and holding the two in monogram form against the face of the base setting or onyx plate I 2. While it is possible to determine on a form for the recessed contour 2! which will receive the shield plate 30 only in one position, in. the present instance, the shape of the recess contour is such that the shield may be set therein in either of two positions, and care will be necessary on the part of the assembler to have the bases of both letters in the same direction.

By offsetting the stem 34 on the shield 30 slightly to one side and similarly locating the apertures I9 and M, it is possible to arrange the top letter element so that they may be positioned only in one position on the base letter, and so without care in observation, the workmen assembling the devices will always have the bases of the two letters in the same direction. In case the letters are made in larger sizes for other uses than jewelry, they may be varied in proportion and constructed of other materials than indicated, as found expedient.

In case a three-letter monogram is constructed embodying my invention, a top letter is employed the same as that above described, although it may be made in smaller size, and a middle letter element at is provided, consisting of a body plate of suitable contour centrally apertured and having a letter defined therein, and in addition being provided with a similar recess 4|, corresponding to the recess contour 2|, in which the top letter shield element may be set. This middle letter plate may be of simple planiform shape on its bottom, and it may have the letter element defined thereon in accordance with the description of the base letter above mentioned, and may be set in the recessed portion of a base letter which may be the same as that first described, or slightly larger, in order to permit the superposition of the three letters without the topmost one being objectionably small. The stem portion of the top letter will be made sufficiently long to extend through both the middle letter element and the base letter to be engaged by the screw 35, as before mentioned.

Various modifications in the manner of forming the letter elements of my invention may be carried out, and the contours and proportions of the parts may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

The base letters are in the present instance elevated considerably at their central parts to give them a massive appearance, and are reduced in height gradually from the central parts toward their tops and bottoms in order to avoid objectionable obstructive engagement with objects and surfaces of various kinds. The letters may be otherwise shaped for such purposes and others, and in each instance the top letter sets in the recessed part 2| so that its top surface is flush with and alines with the immediately adjacent top surfaces of the base letter.

It will be understood that the term bar as used in the claims designates elements representing any of the regular lines of letters.

I claim:

l. A monogram device comprising a support body having an aperture therethrough, a base letter element adapted to be set upon said support body and apertured in alinement with the first named aperture and having recessed portions on its top part conforming to an arbitrary contour, and a top letter element having a plate body with contours conforming to the said recessed part of the base letter and including a fastening extended through the base letter and connected with the support element, said recess of the base letter element being eccentric in part to said fastener, for the purposes described.

2. A monogram device for jewelry comprising a support plate apertured and having key elements thereon, a base letter element having a base portion to fit snugly the face of the said support plate, said base letter element having elements thereon to engage the key elements of the support plate and being apertured to receive a fastening therethrough, said base letter element having a recess in its top face in part at least eccentric to said aperture therein, and a top letter element comprising a body conforming to said recess contour and having a letter defined on the top face thereof, said body portion having a fastening element extended therefrom for engagement through said aperture of the base letter element for connection with the support plate.

3. A monogram letter device consisting of a base letter pressed from sheet metal to form channehshaped bars of a letter, and an integral platen portion offset from the top face of the letter and having an arbitrary contour boundary independent of the letter form but within the ajcr boundaries thereof, said platen, where said contour thereof lies without the body portion of the letter having integral minor walls extending downwardly therefrom and forming integral continuations of abutting sides of the bars of the letter, the lower edges of the walls of the bars and of said minor walls having base edges alined for abutment with a support surface, a topletter member having a contour conforming in size and shape to the contour of said platen portion, and means to secure the letters together and upon a support.

4. As an improved article of manufacture, a base letter for receiving and supporting upper letters to form a monogram, and consisting of a sheet metal member cut and pressed to. fOIl'IlJ a letter body having channel-shaped bars and a central platen recessed from the top face of the letter body and having a contour independent of the letter form but within the major boundary of the letter, said platen where without the body portion of the letter having integral wall portions therebelow integral with and constituting continuations of abutting side Walls of the channel portions of the letter body. I

5. The structure of claim 3 in which said base letter is formed with a further recessed base plate portion apertured and having nibs on its under side, and said top letter is formed with a fastening stem portion to engage through the aperture of the base whereby the assemblage may be secured upon a standard setting.

EDWARD L. WEED. 

